Let’s Not Lose Totonno’s Pizzeria in Coney Island

Slice has an update on Totonno’s Pizzeria Napolitano in Coney Island, which was damaged heavily during Hurricane Sandy. Owners Louise “Cookie” Cimineri and Antoinette Balzano say they’ve paid out thousands of dollars to contractors who haven’t followed through. In the meantime, the pizzeria hasn’t been able to secure relief loans, in part because it is still repaying one it took out after the building caught fire in 2009. Balzano and Cimineri say that borough president Marty Markowitz has been “wonderfully helpful,” but with lingering damage on Neptune Avenue, they’re not sure if they’ll be able to reopen if the loans do not come through. [Slice/Serious Eats, Earlier]